Comedy is a tough business to become a part of. You either start writing it, hit the stage to perform it, or you do both. Stand-up is the cruelest of all the forms that comedy manifests itself. Being a stand-up comedian can be very difficult, as it takes just the right mixture of writing, timing and delivery. Add a live audience that sometimes wants nothing more than to make your life miserable and you can see why being a stand-up comedian is no laughing matter. Unless, of course, you‘re as exceptionally gifted with a microphone in your hand as these ten people are.

He was easily the angriest man in the entire world for a few years in the '80s and '90s. While he still may be angry, his recent TV performances can't hold a candle to his old stand-up. He was so bitter and angry during his routines that it seemed like he was going to jump off stage and punch you in the face. You know how many people have fallen asleep during Leary routines? None, OK. That's right. ZERO! The man screams like a banshee and smokes like a chimney, OK? Stand-ups were never more acerbic and they rarely got louder than Leary. His album Lock 'N Load (released in '97) was a comedy tour de force. Leary spit jokes out with such vitriol that it looked and sounded like the was going to have a brain aneurysm on stage. He basically went all-in during every performance, and that's what made him so awesome. That and the Asshole Song.

There probably isn't a more honest comedian on the today's stand-up circuit. He doesn't stand there and pretend like he enjoys kids-- he tells you that he thinks they're dumb creatures and he fully despises them. He lives to go out and screw with people and that's why people love him. He's the guy that does and says what most of us wish we had the balls to on a daily basis. He rants on why everything about why being white is great, why the banking system is flawed, and why it's just ridiculous to hate gay people. The guy is just naturally bitter and that manifests itself into his half-awkward, half-threatening presence on stage. He just seems like the guy that would take extreme pleasure in saying, “I told you that was going to happen…” Everything is amazing, and nobody's happy. Truer words have never been spoken.

Dangerfield was a late bloomer when it came to comedy. He didn’t get any respect until he got his break when he was almost 50. His jokes were corny, his suits could be atrocious, but his delivery was perfect. And his stage persona and arsenal of one-liners opened the door for a fairly lucrative film career. But every character he played on screen was Rodney Dangerfield. Same timing, same delivery, and the same results. His act worked everywhere and proved that a little self-mockery and pristine delivery can save even the hokiest of jokes. "I hear this place is restricted, Wang, so don't tell 'em you're Jewish, okay?"

There are people who use cocaine recreationally and there are people who make a living off of being on cocaine. Robin Williams falls into the latter grouping of people. Watching Williams on stage back in his early days was like watching the missing link tell every joke that popped into his head, as he paced around the stage in a sweat-fueled frenzy. The energy he had (manufactured in a lab) was off the charts. He was a mile a minute comedian who just spit out thoughts and never looked back. Insane energy coupled with insane talent has turned the once fervent stand-up into a still fervent comedic icon.

The renaissance man of comedy was once known for his silliness and irreverent stand-up shows. Martin has a unique timing and quirkiness that meshes well with whatever you would categorize his stage act as. He can make you laugh with magic, he can sing you a song he wrote on the banjo, or he can just stand and tell jokes. His shtick is to be silly and so that’s what he goes out and does. Big picture thinker that gets big picture laughs. And he always has that one final joke in the routine that brings the house down.

He was the stand-up who took comedy to another level. He didn’t just touch on controversial subjects -- he was controversy. And from that controversy came some very raw and real emotions, that at the time, America really wasn’t ready to deal with quite yet. He was well-known for his stand-up, but during his prime, he was also known for simply pushing the limits to see what he could get away with. A bit about sex got him arrested and brought up on obscenity charges in 1961 and the same happened again a few years later. This guy was so adamant about people hearing his routine, that he was ready to go to jail for his art. Because of that kind of determination, he tore down the great wall of comedy and in doing so, and led future generations into the promised land: A place where comedians don’t have to worry about offending the masses... A freedom that Lenny Bruce was unable to enjoy during a somewhat brief and tumultuous career.

It's too bad that the current generation only knows Eddie Murphy as that doctor guy who can talk to animals or as Norbit. Back in the day, Eddie Murphy was the funniest motherf**ker on the planet and it wasn't even a close race. Murphy killed on SNL, he killed in films and he still found time to kill on stage in movies like Delirious. Not even the red leather Michael Jackson and Prince go shopping-looking outfit can ruin that performance. Eddie was skilled at impersonations and always worked them into his routine. I mean, watch him do stand-up and you realize that Eddie didn't need time in the comedy minors. He was talented, hilarious and ready for the spotlight at the age of 18. And he took it and ran with it until he lost his comedy roots and started doing any movie with a spaceship and a giant check. These days he's more Bill Cosby than Richard Pryor... sorry, I just died a little inside after typing that.

There are dark comedians and then in a league all by himself is George Carlin. He looked like a hippie nobody, but he spoke like the scholarly prophet of a doomed future. Carlin was brilliant at picking up on the little things in our lives and how those supposed “little things” would end up coming back to destroy civilization. Wars were killing people for no good reason. Religion was decaying society. Death was always right around the corner. He was an eternal pessimist, but that seemed to stem from some deeper understanding of the darker side of humanity he seemed to posses. He was like that weird psychology teacher that you had in college, who was always hilarious, but you just knew he was going to snap under the strain of society one day. And on that day you knew you’d probably hear all seven of the dirty words and a few gunshots. Let’s hope it’s peaceful wherever he ended up. He deserved some downtime.

Lenny Bruce may have set the stage, but nobody brought it quite as raw as Richard Pryor did. Pryor basically fed off hotbed issues like race relations and personal demons. Nothing was off-limits to Richard, which meant he always got huge laughs on stage, but often at the cost of his personal life. Jailed for tax evasion, he nearly burned his face off freebasing cocaine, and even when he helped pen the classic picture Blazing Saddles, he was removed from casting consideration because of concerns over being able to insure him. He was also married seven different times. Yeah, the guy had some pretty f'ed up stories and had no problem telling them in public. He was probably one of the best pure story tellers to ever set foot on a stage. In spite of (or fueled by) all his shortcomings, Richard Pryor will go down as one of the greatest comedy minds of all-time.

The man in black was the most profound and ingenious comedian that the world has ever seen. Hicks was a vicious satirist that attacked his audience for being tied down by senseless consumerism and pointless rules. He wanted to break free of the strains of financial conditioning and evolve into a a society based on love and compassion. Illegal drugs were to be fully experienced in order to gain a greater understanding for your mind and the endless possibilities around you. Music was supposed to be about your heart and not about your bank account. Religion was corporate and corporations were keeping society from reaching maximum potential. Hicks challenged his audience through relentless white hate and ended up collapsing under the weight of the world’s ignorance and stupidity. He was trying to save us from ourselves… and from the looks of it, he was the one who got the last laugh.

I want more like this!

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Join The Discussion

Thank you so much. Bill Hicks was amazing. Keith Olberman said it best: "If he had any more time left on this Earth, he would have started a revolution."

There was a certain truth and sadness to his words; you got the feeling he worked backwards from the pain and found something that was funny, instead of coming up with a joke then trying to make it relatable.

Thank you

09.07.10 at 3:57 am

lezzie

Holy shit…your more retarded than i thought. no offense but Denis leary is the biggest rip off hack no talent comedian of all time. He blatantly ripped off bill hick's routine in front of the entire world. Not only did he fuck up half of the jokes he ripped off of bill…..all did was scream them at the audience. No finesse, wit, or timing….whoa

Where is Dave Chappelle on this one?? Pryor passed the torch on to him. Most raw original and viciously hilarious since delirious..

05.10.10 at 5:18 am

Tom

What no Steven Wright?

10.05.10 at 2:54 am

starr

I hope you're kidding.

05.10.10 at 5:24 am

Erswi

Dark Poet uber alles. Well f'n done.

05.10.10 at 6:14 am

Shawn Norris

Steven Wright would have been on a top 20 list along with Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle.

05.10.10 at 8:02 am

joe

The top 10 AMERICAN stand-up comedians of all time. Perhaps.

12.12.10 at 4:53 pm

dana

male

03.30.11 at 8:47 pm

Tom

what's funnier than a female comedian?

EVERYTHING

04.07.11 at 9:56 pm

Rene Magritte

I totally agree. Most UK/Australasian SU comics wipe the floor with them! Most of the US comics can't get by with getting laughs from the F word.

05.10.10 at 8:04 am

S.A.

Denis Leary is a hack. And you spelled his name wrong.

12.19.10 at 11:02 pm

Alex Gomez

Not to mention that No Cure for Cancer was a complete rip off of Bill Hicks. Bill Hicks manager, I believe, actually confronted him on it. It is in the Hicks biography, American Scream.

02.11.11 at 12:47 am

Rich

I find it hard to have Dennis Leary and Bill Hicks on the same list considering everything Leary has ever done he has stolen from Hicks

05.10.10 at 9:11 am

Chelcie

Who the hell came up with this list? An 18 yr old? WTF is Robin Williams doing on this list? And how in the blue hell do you put Bill Hicks above Bruce, Pryor and Carlin. Get your s*** together!!

08.21.10 at 1:28 pm

Brad

1) Robin Williams is one of the best performers ever. Period.
2) Hicks' statements and purpose was a bit more meaningful than Pryor, or I daresay, even Carlin.
3) Denis Leary should have been the one who died instead of Hicks. Friggin thief.
4) I'd like to see Louis CK higher up on this list

12.12.10 at 4:55 pm

dana

hicks was a drag

09.05.10 at 7:29 pm

Pynal

Why don't you assholes make your own friggin' list if you don't like this one?!?

09.07.10 at 3:44 pm

wow

geez, it's just a list man, relax. nobody's gonna die.

01.06.11 at 4:51 pm

lewis

i agree with you on the robin wiliams part but id have to say that bill hicks waqs one of the greatest comedians iv ever seen in my opinion because hes not only funny but he also makes you think about aspects of life we've never thought of before. i do agree that pryor is amazing tho. u should make a list of your own to express your own opinions and id definetly read it because u seem to have a good taste in comedy.
thanks

01.18.11 at 6:46 pm

Jon

Hicks deserves his spot. Get your shit together. I agree that williams is not eligible for any top ten list, other than hairiest men alive. Bruce should have been number two, but what Hicks did was more than challenge the strict soceity that ruled over the masses (which he did, don't get me wrong) he led his audience through a vision of a world where people existed in love and pure joy. It wasn't just about racism and political capital going rouge, it was about recognizing the bulls*** and rising through it using our collective unconscious and bringing forth a better existence. Hicks not only did it, but he made us laugh while doing so.

04.09.11 at 11:28 pm

Clay

have you ever watched robin williams stand-up? F—n funny….he is one of the best. Get your s*** together. Watch his last two road tours and if you still think he sucks then you have a twisted sense of humor.

05.10.10 at 1:11 pm

Bob

I think Don Rickles should've cracked the Top 10; his comedy opened the door for Pryor, Murphy and Rock to be profane about their own race because Rickles had done it first. Certainly ahead of Louis C.K. But while the list breaks no new ground, it's also hard to quibble a lot…

Ironic that you have both Bill Hicks and Dennis Leary on the same list. Ironic because Dennis is pretty famous for outright theft of whole portions of Bill's material.

Dennis Leary has no place on a top 10 comics list.

02.08.11 at 4:09 pm

Van Dangles

absolutely agree! when I scrolled down and saw Leary I was getting ready to leave a nasty comment about stealing from Hicks – then I saw Hicks at number 1! while I completely agree he's the best of the best it's depressing that the no talent loser from operation dumbo drop was on the same list…

Oh well – glad at least he has some recognition now – the year he died Carrot Top was voted # 1 comedian…at least people are starting to come around

02.09.11 at 9:55 pm

Keven

could not agree more. anyone who knows anything about stand-up knows that leary is a hack who stole straight up from the LEGEND himself Bill Hicks

06.05.11 at 8:59 am

moon

i know right i am 32 i heard leary first on no cure for cancer new it by heart.. so the other night i am cruising net flix and i see hicks in my suggestions so i have a look.. DENIS LEARY is a thief i just dont know anymore..

05.10.10 at 2:14 pm

Michael

I'm sorry but no "best" list in regards to comedy can be complete without Bill Cosby. He's definitely one of the greatest of all time.

05.10.10 at 2:23 pm

Tony

Solid list, although I think Don Rickles is missing. :-) Can we add 1 more and make it 11? Don was brilliant and still cracks me up!

12.19.10 at 11:04 pm

Alex Gomez

Just axe Leary the Hack and make it 10.

05.10.10 at 2:45 pm

BR

Mitch Hedberg should be on this list.

12.07.10 at 3:44 pm

SouthLord

Mitch Hedberg should at least be in the top 5!

08.05.11 at 6:01 am

mycrazydream

I always enjoy seeing him, but I think, like Hicks, he gets the postmortem bump. It's similar to the Colbert Bump in name only, and plays on all our fears that we are mortal creatures. Similar bumps have occurred for both Biggie and Tupac. I'm not saying they don't deserve it – there has to be a strong core of talent for the PM Bump to work correctly.

Unrelated, but I have one huge gripe with video lists like this. Stop linking to expired, copyright protected, or otherwise illegal YT posts. It makes the list nearly worthless when I can only watch five videos out of a list of "the ten best".

05.10.10 at 3:02 pm

Seuss

It's already been said, but Denis Leary? That man isn't fit enough to lick the shoes of Bill Hicks.

05.10.10 at 3:04 pm

Ian

No Stanhope? No Oswalt?

Both far better than that hack piece of shit thief Leary.

04.09.11 at 11:35 pm

Clay

It amazes me that Leary gets an interview with Time Magazine. But I guess it just goes to show what kind of people Time Magazine is willing to associate with. I'd like to see Rogan kick his butt.

05.10.10 at 3:04 pm

brandon

Where the fuck is Mitch?!

04.18.11 at 3:51 pm

tim

amen

05.10.10 at 3:22 pm

Rootman

Dom Deluise, just plain funny.

05.10.10 at 3:37 pm

Mike

Steve Martin..!? I can't even take this post serious now…

Also Mitch should def be on here.

03.20.11 at 2:58 am

Brandon B

Mitch was under-appreciated. If you watch some of his stand -up you can tell that the crowds didn't always get his sense of humor. He would be on my top ten though.

05.10.10 at 3:51 pm

Joshua Johnston

Before loading this page, I had my own list of six.

Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison, Rodney Dangerfield,

Robin Williams, Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor.

Seeing Leary on the list at the very top made me cringe, anticipating nine other complete hacks. All in all this was a surprisingly good selection, even if it does have the white Carlos "Ned Holness" Mencia tagging along instead of other, more worthy individuals like Sam Kinison or even Bob Hope. Bob might not have been great to today's audiences like Bill, but the man was a giant in his field.

12.05.10 at 11:58 pm

Cody Taylor

I agree with this list, and wtf was Leary even doing on the list??

03.27.11 at 10:41 am

Joshua Ludd

Agreed. I was sure that as usual when you see Leary on such a list you can be sure Bill Hicks would be nowhere on it… but Bill as #1? That made me feel much better about the inclusion of that fucking grave robber Dennis Leary.

05.10.10 at 4:04 pm

Whaaat

No Sam Kinison?

What are you kidding?

07.13.11 at 1:55 pm

Mike

thank you I was waiting for some one to say it!!!!!!
Sam Kinison.

05.10.10 at 4:07 pm

Remy

i had an intelligent reply to this list but since u guys here at guyism didnt intelligently create this list, i will not give yall that respect. who ever created this list needs to be suspended indefinitely without pay.

05.10.10 at 4:10 pm

fred

This is the word list ever. You sold out and listed 8 of the most famous, but not very good comedians. Then added two you liked. Eddie Murphy? For crying out loud. Eddie Izzard is far funnier and still would not make a real top-10 list. You've wasted my time.

05.10.10 at 4:28 pm

Shannon

Rick Overton

05.10.10 at 4:53 pm

Wayne Francis

No "Best Stand-Up" list is complete without Mitch Hedberg and Don Rickles.

10.27.10 at 11:12 pm

Lacy

That is for sure. And I believe that Bill Hicks is a philosopher as well as a comedian.

05.10.10 at 5:54 pm

Torgo3K

Williams, OUT!

Kinison, IN!

05.10.10 at 5:58 pm

jc

I agree w/ those that think Rickles should be on this list. And how about Buddy Hackett??

I'm guessing this writer isn't older than 24….

Of all time….since he was born, maybe. With exception of Lenny Bruce.

05.10.10 at 6:03 pm

Ben Van Dusen

Waste of time to read this. Nothing scholarly or of any

lasting value. Just another stupid 'list' article.

04.28.11 at 8:33 pm

Fox

You read an article called "10 best stand up comedians of all time" and expected something scholarly? seems to me you're the fool.

05.10.10 at 6:05 pm

Jay

What, no Ron White AND no Louis Black?

05.10.10 at 6:22 pm

Anaughtybear

I was prepared to be furious, but you have Hicks, Carlin and Louis C.K. so all is good.

05.10.10 at 6:38 pm

jg

Stupid list – no Mitch.

05.10.10 at 7:02 pm

Sir Mosh

This list is pretty far from the truth, there are no British comedians on it and the majority of the best comedians are British.

05.21.11 at 4:13 pm

kdance

fact

09.09.11 at 7:22 pm

MBB

Bullshit. The best stand-ups have ALWAYS been American. The UK is great for stuff like Monty Python but as far as microphone in hand stand-up comedy, you got to be shitting me.

05.10.10 at 7:18 pm

Ricky Traveler

BS…no cosby and no rock. And in their place, Leary?? Are you serious? A bad Hicks rip off?

05.10.10 at 7:32 pm

Yunners

No Billy Connolly? No Eddie Izzard? this list is made of fail.

05.10.10 at 7:49 pm

bilbo hicks

denis leary? seriously? as it has been said before and will be said till he is dead the man would not have a career if he had to write his own material.

comedy is subjective and i agree with most of your picks but you should call this list the best american comedians. and you should add rogan and stanhope.

05.10.10 at 9:06 pm

Mark

Umm..No Jerry Seinfeld? Can't see why he isn't on the list. This list sucks.

05.10.10 at 9:24 pm

Aylean

Where's Jim Carrey in all this?…Dumb List

07.24.11 at 8:55 pm

Spree

that is a movie actor you homo!

07.29.11 at 8:51 pm

thorn

jim carrey is where he belongs. off the list.

05.10.10 at 10:38 pm

Mark

WHEW! I went down the list from 10 down, thinking, "What, no Hicks?!" until I got to number one. I don't care who else you put in this list, as long as he's #1. That man was (is) a hero!

05.11.10 at 12:28 am

kj

where the fuck is eddie izzard in the list? also Billy Connolly?

07.17.10 at 8:49 am

Disillusioned

Eddie and Billy, whilst funnier than all of these on the list, are outside of the US thus rendering them exempt from such lists.

Surely this list should be called the 10 best American stand-up comedians of all time.

05.11.10 at 2:04 am

Beltiras

There are so many missing names that I just won't comment on it. Nobody here is quite unworthy but what just *KILLS* this list is the fact that Carlin is not #1 and the reason is this: The reason you had Hicks numero uno is what GC did from the 70's and on. GC did it before Hicks and after Hicks, with more depth and profoundness, and a lot more impact.

In my vain attempt to channel the Philosopher: Fuck you and your weak attempt at classification.

05.11.10 at 2:54 am

Inlay

I'm so happy that no talent ass clown Dane Cook didn't make this list

05.11.10 at 2:56 am

JM

probably more along the lines of "most influential"

05.11.10 at 2:58 am

Rey

I saw Robin Williams on TV recently with his show 'Weapons of Self Destruction' if you haven't seen it check it out on You Tube. Its hilarious. Good to see the magic is still there!

05.11.10 at 3:47 am

Rob

Lenny Bruce is overrated & besides he didn't like being called a comedian. I can think of a bunch of guys that deserve to be on here more. Like the Blue Collar Guys. Also I find Luis CK and Leary funny but they probably don't deserve to be in the top 10. Carlin should've been #1, actually he & Pryor are equal to me so they should be tied at #1. The 2 funniest stand ups I've ever heard.

05.11.10 at 6:50 am

Dan

Ok, wtf… Izzard, Bailey, O'Brien, Byrne, Atkinson, Moran, the Marx Brothers, Omid Djalili… jeez guys I know America gets all the media attention but when making a list with the words 'of ALL TIME' make sure to look at more than one continent at a time

05.11.10 at 6:59 am

Markus

Bill Hicks deserves a top 10, not number one. Richard Pryor is arguably the best, with Carlin, Foxx, Bruce right behind. Richard Pryor had an aura about him that was extremely special, almost magical. He could make slicing bread and cleaning the shower, wet yourself funny. Also Richard Jeni was friggin amazing live too. Overall a really good list, just needs to be tweaked. A top ten like this is difficult because of all of the brilliant minds out there.

05.11.10 at 7:14 am

jono

I agree with a few other posters here, Leary should not even be in a Top100 list, everyone in the business knows that Leary stole Hicks' act almost entirely and he is not held in the highest esteem.

Bill was and is, always Number One.

05.11.10 at 7:48 am

Devi

Deserves to be said again: Leary sucks. Hack that stole Hick's material.

This might better be described as a top ten most influential list, but if we're basing this on pure funny lose Williams, lose Bruce (cutting edge for his time but for pure funny he's not top ten), and lose CK (great comic but top ten of all time?).

Replace them with Bill Cosby, Chris Rock, and Mitch Hedberg. With honorable mentions to Dave Attell and Dave Chapelle.

Personal opinions do not make rule. Though telling that to the person who made the list is just as ineffective as telling you.

05.11.10 at 9:39 am

PacRim Jim

Evidently, there were no stand-up comedians before 1980. This sample is too biased.

06.07.11 at 3:39 am

panwolf

I guess you didn't see Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, Robin Williams, or George Carlin.

05.11.10 at 10:17 am

Jay

Obviously you cannot please everybody. While I agree that everybody on this list was certainly deserving, I too lament that Kinison, Oswalt and Izzard did not rank among the elite. As much as Mitch Hedburg made me chuckle, I never had to stop an album because I was laughing to hard. I've never had to rewind, "Oh my god, did he just say what I think he said?" kind of moments. Louis C.K. and Hicks are two talents that I don't think many people that only listen to 'mainstream comedy' are familiar with. And that is a shame, as this is a very solid list, but just the tip of a very large iceberg. Billy Connoly, Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock, Dave Attell, Charles Murphy, Rodney Carrington, Sarah Silverman, Russell Peters and Jo Koy. All very funny and thank you for not including any cable men or Mencias. Both horrible. Both shameful.

03.31.11 at 9:59 pm

kreiyu

Sarah Silverman? Try Maria Bamford.

05.11.10 at 10:48 am

jb

Dave Attell made the funniest comedy album of all time and doesn't make the list? He's 10x funnier than Denis Leary. Leary was just a popular who stole jokes from Louis CK. If that's your criteria for making the list then Dane Cook should be #1.

My list would be completely different, but it's good to see more people doing this kind of thing for the stand up comedians…..

05.11.10 at 11:43 am

Hay

Jay you couldnt be more wrong. i cannot believe you would sit there and name off people like sarah silverman and then go on to say that mencia is bad or blue collar comedy guys are bad. (i will admit that larry the cable guy is pretty bad though)

05.11.10 at 11:59 am

Sammy

I vote for George Carlin.

05.11.10 at 1:24 pm

Mort

To give the man his due, shouldn't that list read

10. Bill Hicks

1. Bill Hicks.

05.11.10 at 6:13 pm

jeff

What, no Jonathan Winters?

05.11.10 at 6:47 pm

C

This list is brilliant, and compiled by someone older than eighteen who really knows comedy. All of the choices are solid, not necessarily my favorites, but an informed really funny bunch.

05.11.10 at 8:45 pm

matt

I'da maybe shoehorned Bill Cosby on there somewhere, because even though he is pretty old and crazy now, his standup back in the day was amazing. Wonderfulness anyone? Go Carts, Chicken Heart, Cream of Wheat? I have no more argument with the content of this list, and wouldn't know who to remove, although I might quibble a bit with the order – I might have flipped Hicks and Pryor myself. If you went with living comedians, you'd have to get Patton Oswalt on there.

05.11.10 at 10:41 pm

ND

Really, Bill Hicks. Meh. He's a modern hippy who can tie sentences together without using "man… like you know…" So, to this list, all you have to do is say the fuck, you're an amazing comedian. Meh.

05.11.10 at 11:23 pm

Pat

Nothing against Bill Hicks, but George Carlin should be #1. He was brilliant as a straight ahead stand-up, then even more brilliant after he "weirded out." He was just as thought-provoking and confrontational as Hicks, if not more so, took even more hell for it, stayed on the cutting edge for a much longer period, and his output was far greater.

Dennis Leary is okay, but that spot should have gone to Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, Alan King, Jerry Seinfeld, Robert Klein, Chris Rock or I-could-go-on-and-on.

And if you'd like to decide for yourself whether Hicks was right about Leary stealing his material, try watching this:

I think there are a few people who would've deserved the #10 spot a little more than Leary. Chris Rock, Chappelle, Seinfeld, Joan Rivers. Leary is pretty damn funny, but as far as the material goes, I like those four better.

I'm glad to see Louis C.K. up there though. Definitely one of my favorites.

05.12.10 at 1:29 pm

ME

Chris Rock? anywhere????

05.12.10 at 4:47 pm

Nx

People get angry about lists. You have compiled one…people are angry. All you did was make some considered choices. It's not like you picked 'em out of a hat. With the exception of Leary(for all his energy and anger, I just can't bring myself to like a man whose career was built on theft), I think you've showcased some fine performers here.

05.12.10 at 6:00 pm

adgewfc

i've never heard of bill hicks, but he sounds like a douche bag

12.19.10 at 11:12 pm

Alex Gomez

Can I dislike this a trillion times?

07.08.11 at 10:34 am

abc123

you must be a retard then

07.31.11 at 12:24 am

shannon

Thats because you're a fucking idiot.

05.12.10 at 9:25 pm

artisan

I would have liked to have seen early Bill Cosby in there as well. He was never edgy enough to compare with those guys but his earliest material was brilliant. I still howl when I listen to 'To Russell my brother, whom I slept with'. Good clean funny fun (even though it doesn't sound like it).

05.13.10 at 11:12 am

yaar

Where the hell is Mitch Hedberg? He of all people deserves a spot on this list.

05.13.10 at 11:30 am

Tufty

I, uh, I notice all of them are americans. You guys know there are other countries, yes? Some of them even speak english!

05.13.10 at 5:19 pm

Jody

bill hicks? really? where's the funny? He's just a propagandist. He doesn't even belong on the list. What part of that video was funny and not preachy? Or maybe just funny?

05.13.10 at 9:37 pm

Kilroy

Agree and disagree…

Remove Bill Hicks and your much closer. So many good ones missed too; Billy Connoley, Sam Kinison, Lewis Black… or even some of the really oldies, Bob Newhart, Jack Benny.

05.13.10 at 10:10 pm

Truth

There is no way to make a 'top ten anything' and make it agree with everyone who reads it.

Also, if you do not find Hicks at least thought provoking, then you are dead or dumb. He is funny while speaking some very real truth.

In the end, to each his own. Good list for sure.

05.08.11 at 5:09 pm

Stutz

He's supposed to be a comedian. Which means he should be funny first, and thought-provoking SOMETIMES. Carlin was 100 times better at walking that line. Hicks is one of those guys people are a fan of because they agree with his point of view and because he gets sympathy and hipster points for dying early, not because he's the funniest, best comedian. And he's definitely not. Putting him at #1 is a total affectation.

05.13.10 at 10:58 pm

steve

what a bs list.

of all time ur top 10 starts with leary and ends with hicks. wow! denis leary #10 louis ck #9 CHRIS ROCK NOT ON THE LIST. what? cmon man do the list over i will give u another chance

05.13.10 at 11:06 pm

Dr Jacknose

Andy Kaufman not even mentioned in the thread? Shame on all ya, these lists are always half-assed anyway, several on this list should not be, and several nice suggestions from ya'll, once again

ANDY KAUFMAN

05.13.10 at 11:11 pm

Cool Al

Yes! Finally, a top ten that got it right. Yes, Bill Cosby, Dane Cook, …, but #1: Bill Hicks. Thank you for recognizing his comedic genius! Too bad he died young of cancer, otherwise, everybody would know his name. RIP Bill.

05.13.10 at 11:32 pm

GCL

No Mitch Hedberg? no Eddie Izzard? no Dave Chappelle? No Seinfeld? repeat: NO SEINFELD???!!!!

Carlin – pompous, overrated, and unfunny

Dangerfield – pompous, crude, and very funny

Pryor – genius

Cosby – genius

Bob Newhart – genius, again

Murphy at his prime – unbeatable (article is spot on)

(thank God, no Dane Cook)

05.14.10 at 12:22 am

Jeff V

Umm,,,,,,,,,Sammy? Sam Kinision

SAMMY RULED!

He blew the doors of many of the people on your list.

Sam Kinnison was a BAD ASS!

05.14.10 at 12:29 am

PRS

Another top ten list brings us another ersatz vehicle for authoritative opinion. Curious to know what this article goes to show or prove other than one man's opinion of his favorite comics? Top ten lists are a gag that work (sometimes) as a comic gag for David Letterman. But it's misguided to attempt to establish one's self as an authority on category of entertainers by artificially limiting the number of people deserving to be on that list. I'm pretty sure that the number of comics which Sean holds in esteem doesn't actually stop exactly at 10, but his use of tired pop kitsch to make a headline causes him to short-change not only himself but snubs the many hundreds of comics deserving of accolades.

05.14.10 at 12:46 am

bendy

no Steven Wright? no Mitch Hedburg?

05.14.10 at 12:59 am

god

Bill Hicks, yes…a genius. Pryor…Carlin…yes, but not in that order. Murphy…yeah I can see that. The rest of the list, I think not. I think you should have to stay funny your whole career to qualify for this list, which rules out Robin Williams. Lenny Bruce…..sigh….important, but probably not funnier or more important than say, Bill Cosby!

And JFC….Louis C.K.!? Are you fracking kidding me!? Lous C.K. is at least interesting, but Dennis Leary!? Those guys belong in this list about as much as I do…meaning not at all. Leary's whole pathetic career has been based on pretending to be Bill Hicks. He makes me want to vomit cigarette butts. And Dangerfield…he got no respect because he was an unfunny hack.

05.14.10 at 1:10 am

manduso

who makes up this shit?

05.14.10 at 1:13 am

Craig Bruska

An All Time list that does not include:

Bill Cosby – Routines that ever kid i knew could repeat by heart.

Woody Allen – His bullet routine still mays me smile.

Bob Newhart – Dry, smart, and out of the box.

Jack Benny – Funny on Radio, TV and in the Club,

Mark Twain – The first stand up to do a world tour.

Smart and FUNNY without having to drop the F Bomb.

05.14.10 at 2:51 am

StriderBiker

Having all these clips together was great! And I agree with EVERYBODY!! And I agree most about Mitch Hedberg. But also Izzard. And what about Chris Rock?

So why can't we have #11-20 at least? And then #21-30? And then …

05.14.10 at 8:06 am

sbann

almost perfect top 10 !

for a moment i was afraid bill hicks would be on the list.

05.14.10 at 8:08 am

sbann

obviously i meant to say wouldn't ^

he is the greatest of all time and still ahead of his time.

05.14.10 at 9:51 am

ted schekler

What about lil' Jimmy Norton?

05.14.10 at 10:09 am

tbone

thank you for recognizing Bill Hicks for being the incredible, intelligent, satirical master that he was and continues to be, even in death. He dealt with issues that most comedians wouldnt dare to touch, and in a way that most others could only hope to emulate. His passing was one of the saddest things I had ever heard. Most people that I have mentioned Bill Hicks to have never even heard of him, let alone been lucky enough to have witnessed his genious on stage. He is by far the funniest person I have ever seen perform, with a wit and biting satire unrivaled by any other comedian alive or dead. I can only hope that more people get the chance to hear or see him perform, and then pass him on to others. There are DVD's available online, and the tribute video is both hysterically funny and poinantly sad at the same time. Thank you again for giving Bill the recognition that he geniunely deserves. As he said, "I'm on the road 300 days a year, so bear with me while I plaster on a fake smile and plow through this shit one more time." Bill, you are, and will always be, truly missed. I hope you are with John Lennon, smoking a joint, and making all those with you laugh and smile, just as you've done for me for many years. He is absolutely the greatest comedian that ever was or will be. Peace Bill.

05.14.10 at 10:27 am

Sally

What about Bob Hope. The sensors kept him from what he could really do. I saw him live one time and I laughed so hard. I think you should do the top 50.

05.14.10 at 10:37 am

Ril

While any list is subjective, cheers for the inclusion of Bill Hicks… I feel at times that he's been forgotten, but as long as Dane Cook keeps using his jokes…

05.14.10 at 10:44 am

Ben

This list should include Dave Attell, the best stand-up out there today. I have listened to Skanks for the Memories probably 20 times and it's still awesome.

05.14.10 at 10:49 am

Steve Watkins

everybody has their own ideas for this list.I"ll take your word about bill hicks,never heard him.I have listened to hours of lenny bruce and not even a chuckle.If you want a funny political dissident,try mort sahl,just being angry does not make you funny.steve martin is funny,but the least spontaneous standup I have ever heard.His routine is exactly word for word the same every stop on the tour & on tv.sam kinison should be listed,also bill cosby.there was a world before 1999.

05.14.10 at 10:51 am

sri

Don Rickles should always be in a top ten stand up list. Would have also rated Rodney higher (like #3), Carlin should've got #1 or #2.

05.14.10 at 10:54 am

john doe

of all the comedians questionably left off of this list the one undisputed comedian who should be in the top 5 if not the number 1 is CHRIS ROCK! how the fuck does he not get included??? rock like murphy and pryor is an iconic comedian that changed stand up forever!

05.14.10 at 10:59 am

Hanks

Without Red Skelton it really isn't a comedian list…

05.14.10 at 11:03 am

Joe Frazier

I agree with sri that Don Rickles should be up there but no one has mentioned Dice. In his prime no one was bigger.

05.14.10 at 11:15 am

Kaplan

Who is Bill Hicks? The clip makes him sound like a hack – these 'jokes' are not original at all. And to put him number 1?! Now THAT is a joke.

Sam Kinison was an original. Should be on the list (not #1, but in the top 10)

03.16.11 at 2:35 pm

Kaplanisretarded

WHO IS BILL HICKS? GO FUCKING DIE RIGHT NOW YOU DUMB IGNORANT MOTHERFUCKER. I FUCKING DESPISE YOU. BILL HICKS IS TURNING IN HIS GRAVE!!!!!!!!!

05.14.10 at 11:38 am

Rachael

Norm Macdonald?!

This list —-> -1

05.14.10 at 11:43 am

Skippy

Best Comedians of all time and you put someone no one has heard of as number 1?

05.14.10 at 11:51 am

John E Jones

Johnathan Winters should have been in the top ten if not number 1. Richard Pryor, George Carlin and any other so called comedians that can only get a laugh by telling offensive, off color, vulgar and profanity laced jokes shouldn't be included at all. They don't deserve to be in the company of the truly great funny men of all times.

05.14.10 at 12:05 pm

John Carney

Not impressed at all. Not at all. This reads like someone with no character was bored on Saturday afternoon.

05.14.10 at 12:16 pm

nathan podsakoff

bill hicks is god

05.14.10 at 12:28 pm

Kristen

This list is a joke.

05.14.10 at 12:36 pm

Relyt

Everyone who has never heard of Bill Hicks please do the world a favor and shoot yourself.

03.16.11 at 2:36 pm

Steven

Seriously

05.14.10 at 12:50 pm

Pete(UK)

Wow, no Brits! Surely Billy Connelly at least! Happy with the number 1 though. Bill Hicks was great, although it does seem dated now and I understand why the younger generation don't rate him.

05.14.10 at 12:53 pm

robmac

Hmmm I take it your American! Should this blog post be renamed the best U.S. stand up of all time?

The last time I looked Britain is the home of stand up

05.14.10 at 1:02 pm

craig

Bill hicks is great, if you have not heard of him thats your loss!

how about emo phillips? He would be in my top ten.

11.30.10 at 1:38 am

IgnoramusRex

+1 for Emo. I'm not sure if he really deserves a top 10 spot, but I do feel honorable mention is in order.

05.14.10 at 1:08 pm

TornVictor

Good list, shame they're all American (in my opinion). If you like dark, pessimistic, angry comedy check out Frankie Boyle. He hates everyone and is a hilarious mf with it.

05.14.10 at 1:22 pm

Nick

OK so a few things….

1. Just because you haven't heard of someone (Hicks) that doesn't mean that they are irrelevant. Assuming this just makes you seem like a self-important A-hole.

2. Having said that, Hicks is great but I think he should be #2 only because his career was so short compared to Carlin who deserves the #1 spot.

3. Thank you for NOT putting Dane Cook on this list.

05.14.10 at 1:57 pm

Toby Petzold

When I travelling in Europe back in the mid-90s and telling people I was from Austin, I was blown away by how many of them wanted to talk about either Stevie Ray and/or Bill Hicks. Not knowing about Bill Hicks is sure proof of one's cultural illiteracy and unhipness. Viva Texas!

05.14.10 at 2:20 pm

Glasgow Pedro

For those of you saying "WTF Bill Hicks", shame on you. The stand ups you watch now were inspired by Bill who was inspired by Lenny Bruce. One of the other posters mention Frankie Boyle. He is indeed cutting edge but again cut from the same cloth as Hicks. Take your time, do your research, Bruce and Hicks are probably the best you'll ever see. Boyle and maybe even Carr are good follow on acts.

F—ing Brilliant… especially for Hicks as Number one…he certainly is not the most well known, but fame is not and has never been synonymous with talent. The man is The GOD of stand up…this clip doesnt do him justice and Denis Leary stoled most of his bit…He was ahead of his time, under appreciated and taken too soon (pancreatic cancer at 33)…He burned out instead of fading away…but what an exit…Bravo!

05.14.10 at 6:07 pm

Sage

Who the hell made this list and why is that idiot Denis Leary on it?

And how the hell did Billy Connolly not make this list?

George, Billy and Dangerfield all deserve the top 3. Some of those bozos could easily be replaced with talents like Wanda Sykes or Mitch Henberg.

05.14.10 at 6:24 pm

nsnsnsnsns

are you kidding? where's jerry seinfield, akroyd, chris rock, cosby, and jum carrey? you're out of your mind ending this with hicks. bruce should have been #10 not 5. Unreal.

05.14.10 at 8:07 pm

tbomb

Mitch Hedberg-I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughtnut… I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I give you money and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I can't imagine a scenario that I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. To some skeptical friend, 'Don't even act like I didn't get that doughnut, I've got the documentation right here… It's in my file at home. …Under "D".'”

05.14.10 at 9:14 pm

jake

Bill Hicks is rightly at number 1 , the only reason some havnt heard of him is he died at age 33.Im impressed with the list , its just about right.The number one slot is right on , God Bless Bill Hicks , American patriot

05.14.10 at 9:20 pm

Stutz

Bill Hicks is clearly the darling of the "I have hipper taste than you" crowd. It's like a list of the greatest bands where Sonic Youth ends up number one, right ahead of the Beatles. I prefer to go by what makes me laugh out loud, and that did not happen once with the Bill's boring routine. I agree with most of the list, but really? He has some good stuff, but please spare me the "envisioning a better world" b.s. That is not funny, it's obnoxious, and you're supposed to be doing comedy.

While it's true that fame doesn't equal talent, it is equally true that hipster cachet doesn't equal talent, either. Hipsters have to ask themselves, are you just intellectually a fan of this person/band because of their outsider status — a sort of "fan in principle"? Or is this act truly, honestly excellent?

05.15.10 at 1:32 am

Dave Gould

Humour is based on cultural values, so you expect some difference between UK & USA.

I've seen literally hundreds of stand-ups and Steve Martin has got to be bottom of my list by a long way!

There are plenty of great British, Irish, Australian… hell even Iranian Stand-ups that kick the shit out of this list. Such an out-dated view of the world. If you've not seen any non-merkin Stand-up, I pity you.

05.14.10 at 10:34 pm

steve

People may not have heard of bill hicks because he was too offensive and dangerous for the mainstream

he does a great routine about the JFK shooter "i can't even see the road", and other thought provoking and hilarious subjects

that denis learly bloke basically just ripped off his angry style and instead talked about inane pointless stuff, then ran off to holyywood for big money

carlin also top man, and richard pryor

comedy should make you laugh,but also question your world

05.15.10 at 2:51 am

Stan Heron

What about Ken Goodwin? Such short memories…

05.15.10 at 12:25 am

garok89

one thing i have found…when it comes to sitcoms, america wins….when it comes to stand-up, they are pathetic compared to the uk and ireland

i cant remember the last american comedian i saw on tv who didnt rely on racism (if they were black), talking about their penis or their exploits (if they were white) or other pointless ramblings….

more and more i see american comedians stealing material from the great modern, british comedians, knowing that their target audience will never know.

only 2 or 3 of those guys belong on that list, and even then i would say they are top 20 or 30, not top 10

05.15.10 at 3:45 am

Dan

Eddie Izzard.

Hicks was great. Sure.

This – as has been pointed out – is a U.S. list. There are many great Brit/Irish stand-ups that could fill at least half the places on this list.

And Leary? C'mon. Seriously?

05.15.10 at 5:36 am

Galin

I think web have different tastes. Demetri Martin, Mitch Hedburg, Jim Gaffigan… I do agree with Eddie Murphy, George carlin, and Robin Williams. I've never heard of the number one, so I can't be sure about him.

05.15.10 at 10:13 am

William Vincent

Leary? For real? Martin? Those guys were NOT made for stand-up. Glad at least one list didn’t put that doped-up idiot Hedberg on it. Bill Hicks was the man. Funny, angry motherf***er.

05.15.10 at 10:48 am

Ron

Comics are all subjective and subject to current tastes and age group.It’s like asking who was the best group of all time. That depends on how old you are,tastes etc.

05.15.10 at 11:01 am

David Justice

I think its time America looked outwards a bit. What makes you think that the only good stand ups are in the US of A .
Anyone heard of Billy Connelly or Chic Murray. Two great Scottish Stand Up comedians. Chic sadly no longer with us.

05.15.10 at 11:19 am

Leah

Bill hicks is a brilliant comedian, people should really appreciate what he gave to stand up.

05.15.10 at 11:34 am

Matt

Point 1: If you like Leary on the list you must put Hicks higher as Leary ripped him off left and right.

Point 2; Hicks is a genius. Lets be perfectly clear the comedians of his generation always rank him as one of the top ones. This particular routine not his best. But still a great.

Point 3: Yes the list is American slanted. It is also slanted from the 70’s on. No Cosby? No Woody Allen?

05.15.10 at 1:23 pm

Hickster

Hicks was a true jester who tore your pretensions apart in front of your eyes and shoved them down your throat. The only way to cure this f__ked up world is to laugh at ourselves until we cry. Bill was the only comic with the gall and the balls to do that to your face, yet still keep faith that we could be less stupid, selfish and self-delusional.

Never heard of him? Check him out before you wipe him off your chest!

05.15.10 at 2:12 pm

Tedrick

Useless, they are all bloody Americans….Enough said…

05.15.10 at 3:34 pm

Elizabeth

Some of the reactions on here to Bill Hicks remind me of the reaction I heard from one guy walking out of LoTR: “Yeah, the visuals were great, but the writer just ripped off all the sword and sorcery fantasy crap.”

(For those of you who didn’t get THAT, Tolkien was essentially the father of what emerged as the high fantasy genre. Anything after THAT ripped him off. Got it? Good.)

When I think of a top ten list, I’d think of the people who pushed frontiers of comedy or forged a new approach to comedy.

Carlin would make that list. Lenny Bruce would make that list, though I rarely laugh at anything he does; without Bruce, comedians would still be making knock-knock jokes, and certainly Bruce paid in blood to be on that list. Pryor, absolutely. I’m not sure Hicks would make my top 10, but he was definitely one of the pioneers of bitter sociopolitical humor. Louis CK really owes his stuff to Hicks, as does Lewis Black (who would come closer to making this list than Louis CK, sorry.)

It’s not so much that the latter day comics aren’t funny; it’s that many of them owe their roots to the ones who came before. When we’re talking the greatest, that’s who I rank. I liked all of these guys, but I’m not sure all of them were the real pioneers in their respective comedy slants.

But for the record, I liked all the guys on here, even if some of my own faves were skipped.

05.15.10 at 3:54 pm

Masterson

Who the Fuck is Bill Hicks.

05.15.10 at 7:28 pm

Ellis Axtell

In my life time (I’m 44) Mr Hicks is the greatest American comedian – the greatest British comendian … well of course it’s Mr Cook.

05.16.10 at 2:03 am

tbomb

Red Skelton Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Groucho Marx, Erine Kovacs Totie Fields they were great and had a vocabulary that contained words with more than four letters.

05.16.10 at 6:29 am

Johnny Nobody

Leary Stole Bill Hicks' act. Hicks at #1 is good, but Leary should not be here. He should be on a hack list with Mencia.

05.16.10 at 11:34 am

solly

Bill Hicks is amazing! he made me laugh and im 15 :)

05.16.10 at 8:18 am

jackie

REALLY? this is your list?..wrong..

05.16.10 at 10:50 am

Englebert Humperdink

Nice '10 best U.S. stand-up "comedians", who are all worse than 10 best Australian or U.K. stand-up comedians' of all time list. Pretty accurate.

05.16.10 at 2:58 pm

austin

I really think you need Mitch Hedberg. Steve Martin and Dennis Leary, although talented, don’t belong on this list. I’m still formulating an opinion on Louis C.K., and I know nothing about Bill Hicks.

Other than that I thought the list was pretty sound.

05.16.10 at 11:43 am

Jonster

Is it just me or are all of these comedians americans? You should change the title to read best american stand up comedians.

Jimmy Carr deserves a place on this list as do several other on-american comedians.

05.16.10 at 5:44 pm

Seán

No one has mentioned Tommy Cooper.. If Martin is up there with his “Bad Magic” Routine then Why not Cooper, Truly a great stand-up comedian

05.16.10 at 6:06 pm

Maggie

Jackie Mason should be top of the list.

05.16.10 at 6:20 pm

Dave

Yeah, I disagree with several of these. And Eddie Murphy was funny until he just became an asshole. That raw video you have a picture of is pretty unwatchable because he’s so full of himself at that point.

Robin Williams should be further up the list, Andy Kaufman should be on it because he was so good at fucking with people’s minds, and you need some women. Carol Burnett broke ground when she was doing her thing, but for some more modern ones, maybe Janeane Garofalo or Margaret Cho.

Robin Williams is the best comedian I’ve ever seen for his quick wit and being able to just go anywhere with it. Check out his HBO special. Friggin brilliant.

05.16.10 at 6:54 pm

CptChaos

@tbomb: amen.

@Ellis Axtell: Yeah, Peter Cook ruled!

@John E Jones: right on about Jonathan Winters, give him any old prop and he was off and running, and leaving his audiences in agony from laughing so hard.

@Dan: Eddie Izzard should have made the list, the man is brilliant.

The following should have been on the list as well: Bill Cosby, Phyllis Diller, Jerry Clower, Tom and Dick Smothers, Bob Newhart, Tim Conway, and the immortal Minnie Pearl.

05.17.10 at 1:28 am

Iggy

Richard Jeni, Lewis Black, Chris Rock…

05.16.10 at 11:32 pm

Jim

Funny you should put Leary on the same list as Hicks since Leary jacked Hicks' jokes after he died.

05.17.10 at 2:54 am

Alex

How could you include Dennis Leary when he is known to have stolen material, primarily from Bill Hicks??????

05.17.10 at 4:37 am

Sundance Kid

Ricky Gervais? The guy literally has reinvented comedy.

Billy Connolly?

Eddie Murphy and Louis CK shouldn't be in there with Ricky Gervais and Billy Connolly should be.

05.17.10 at 6:23 am

S

Mitch Hedberg

05.17.10 at 11:27 am

Rett Goings

Mitch Hedberg? This list sucks.

05.17.10 at 11:28 am

Rett Goings

Type your comment here…

05.17.10 at 7:41 am

SeismicMike

Another vote for Hedberg.

05.17.10 at 12:14 pm

K

Where’s Ted Chippington, the best by far

05.17.10 at 8:56 am

dave

all American I see…

Britain has been producing quality comedians for years that shit on half of that list

05.17.10 at 10:01 am

E

Mitch Hedberg and Doug Stanhope should both be on this list. Stewart Lee as well, though he's not very well known outside of Britain, so I'll let you off there.

05.17.10 at 5:45 pm

lonestar

Mitch Hedburg? Eddie Izzard?

05.17.10 at 5:55 pm

Alex

Jimmy Carr? He’s pretty damn hilarious. I don’t know most of the guys on here, and most of the vids didn’t really make me laugh

05.17.10 at 10:01 pm

Craig

This list is a farce, Its amazing how Denis Leary’s standup career ended pretty much as soon as Bill Hicks’ life ended.

Rodney is an icon. So much humor relies on his foundation of delivery and melancholy. He may not be the original but he has delivered

05.18.10 at 3:02 am

Zak

I resent the fact that all of these comedians are American, Id say this list should be called the best American comedians of all time due to the effect of culture of sense of humor

As I’m British I find 99% of American comedians to be completely unfunny (including most of the people on this list) but at the same time I respect that the american sense of humor is completely different to that of the British

05.18.10 at 3:49 am

Steve

The best yank comedians made by a yank for the yanks

05.18.10 at 6:48 am

Steve

“May 17, 2010 at 8:37 am

Ricky Gervais? The guy literally has reinvented comedy.”

No he hasn’t, and I find him less funny than leprosy.

I’m guessing you also like Michael McIntyre? Another ‘comedian’ who find himself far too hilarious.

05.18.10 at 6:49 am

Steve

…and yes, yet far more proof that Americans cannot envisage a world outside their borders.

05.18.10 at 6:50 am

BL

Thanks for the list Shawn; it was a really good distraction from my boring life. And to some of the suggestions that I read on the comment board…

Ricky Gervais? The only times he actually makes me laugh is when he’s laughing at Karl.

And Eddie Izzard!?! … well, yeah, I actually agree with that.

Again, I enjoyed the list.

05.18.10 at 6:58 am

Scott

Jeff Foxworthy changed comedy in every way. He sold more albums then all of these comedians combined. Foxworthy made the comedy game 100 times bigger then it had ever been.

P.S.This list should be the best comedians that use cuss words.

05.18.10 at 7:27 am

MIKE SEAGER

DOES THE NAME JERRY APPEAR TO BE MISSING HERE? ♦☺☺♦

05.18.10 at 11:38 am

Clappers

You mean the 10 best AMERICAN stand-ups of all time. There is a world outside Americas borders you know.

05.18.10 at 11:41 am

sign felt m.s.

☼ΩΘ▀╘◘² and wheres chappelle

05.18.10 at 1:20 pm

gern

Bill Hicks absolutely rules.

05.18.10 at 2:34 pm

Hammer

Really didn’t find Hicks funny at all, shouldn’t have been on the list. (let along the top slot) Mitch Hedberg deserves a spot for sure, and I for one love Bill Cosby’s standup.

03.16.11 at 2:44 pm

stevem

Billl hicks is god

05.18.10 at 3:32 pm

James

Chappelle shoud be on here instead of Leary, he’s a hack. Otherwise this list is whatever.

05.18.10 at 4:11 pm

bob

Steven Wright

05.18.10 at 1:15 pm

Todd

Sam Kinison

05.18.10 at 5:39 pm

Anthony

Definitely Steven Wright:

“If you are in a spaceship that is
traveling at the speed of light, and you turn on the headlights, does anything
happen?”

and Mitch Hedberg:

“I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.”

05.19.10 at 8:16 am

john

leary, no.

05.19.10 at 12:19 pm

jinbo

YOUR COMEDY LIST SUX

05.19.10 at 8:31 am

Bill

I agree with Todd. Robin Williams is not funny, just obnoxious.

05.19.10 at 10:50 am

Strack

I really think your list should include (or at least consider):

Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Mitch Hedberg.

05.19.10 at 11:29 am

hab

why do you think only US comics are good, British ones are much funnier.

05.19.10 at 4:12 pm

jaz

DAVE CHAPELLE
KATT freakin WILLIAMS
RUSSELL PETERS
JIM CARREY????

other than that good list!!!

05.19.10 at 1:17 pm

Neil

Billy Connelly is the best comedian ever. List needs to be amended!!

05.19.10 at 1:42 pm

Alex

Not so much "stand up" comedians but Johnny Carson was a genius and Dean Martin was much funnier and wittier than he's given credit for.

05.19.10 at 5:58 pm

SJ

Sam Kinnison?

05.19.10 at 6:50 pm

Aaron

everyone seems to only pick people that make THEM laugh, these comedians listed are the best ones at stand up, the ones who can take a whole room and kill, every time, and make it an art. I love British comedy but It’s hard to find an amazing british stand up comic. Hedberg and Wright arent great at stand up but have amazing jokes. patton Oswalt seems to be one of the only comedians these days who get it and do it damn well

So, a sexist rape apologist and absolutely no women. . .and this is supposed to be a comprehensive list? Puh-lease.

05.19.10 at 8:16 pm

Furious

I have never posted on a discussion forum like this before, but I have to say, to not include mitch hedberg, or dave chappelle in this list, both who revolutionized delivery over the actual line, is blasphemy.

05.20.10 at 12:18 am

Furious

Oh, and aaron, Patton blows.

05.19.10 at 8:25 pm

dspot13

Missing so many. At they got Bill Hicks as #1 right. I think that we are missing some of the funniest. Where in the Hell are Dave Chappelle, Eddie Griffin, Martin Lawrence, and Red Fox, Steven Wright, Katt Williams, and no Cosby. This is probably the worst list I have ever seen. The writer of this article must either not be a fan of comedy or is at least a major slacker when it comes to researching the topic you are writing about. He should be lucky to keep his job.

05.19.10 at 11:03 pm

Elli

I was wondering where Dave Chappelle was too…

By the way, Louis CK is crap in my opinion. His show is mind-blowingly bad.

i agree with Elli, Dave Chappelle needs to be up there. and as far as russel brand, I've heard all his jokes before

05.20.10 at 8:30 am

colette

Definetly not the best comedians of all time. Maybe the top ten American comedians.

05.20.10 at 9:02 am

Net-Jester

Not too bad of a list but Sam Kinison really needs to be in here.

05.20.10 at 9:57 am

J. Goodell

Two Names: Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock. As hilarious as Dave Chappelle is, I think Chris Rock hit harder in Bigger and Blacker. But they both sit just below Eddie Murphy in my opinion.

05.20.10 at 10:04 am

Patricia

Mitch Hedberg :(

05.20.10 at 10:05 am

ryan

not a big fan of this list. i def think dangerfield, murphy, and pryor stay on but for the rest of them they can be replaced. major lack of non-us comedians. and how in the hell do you leave of dave chappelle. also my biggest problem you dont have mitch hedburg prob one of the best ever. rip mitch

05.20.10 at 1:16 pm

sweetestsadist

Can't say I agree with Louis C.K., Robin Williams, or Bill Hicks.

Louie C.K. gets a few chuckles out of me but doesn't really have much outside of shock value for humor.

I liked Robin Williams as a kid until I started collecting joke books in my teen years and saw how many (even then) old jokes he worked into his routine. And I'm talking Comic Relief era here not the current R.W. that's so despised. He was really just the Carlos Mencia of the 70's and 80's.

Don't get me wrong, I love Bill Hicks. Honestly though, he didn't do that much humor. He had a few jokes that he carried to each routine, but he mostly just told us his insights of the world. His real appeal was that he said things that needed to be said and heard by the few intellectuals who were frustrated with the ignorant masses. He was definitely a voice that needed to be there, just not a very comedic one.

I personally would've liked to have seen Steven Wright, Robert Schimmel and Dave Chapelle on this list.

05.20.10 at 2:23 pm

carrie

do women rate?

05.20.10 at 2:24 pm

Pete

I think Chappelle and Hedberg are too recent to have made lasting splashing impressions. Hicks never made it big but his influence is everywhere. If popularity is the primary factor then you might as well have included Cook and Clay (/shudder).

My only real question is where is Kinison?

05.20.10 at 3:47 pm

Steph

Wow! Just wow! More evidence that the average American can't see beyond his own back yard…..

05.20.10 at 5:32 pm

The Sanity Inspector

Should be entitled "My Favorite Standup Comics".

05.20.10 at 5:33 pm

Jarred

Replace Bill Hicks with Bill Cosby and this list would be perfect.

05.20.10 at 6:29 pm

Joe

I was starting to get angry cause I didn't see Bill Hicks but then I reached the end and found he was number 1 :P

I smiled. Bill was JESUS! "We don't come to comedy to think!" "Well, where do you go to think? I'll meet you there!"

Mitch should be here. Maybe Rock. Not Chappelle, although he is a great writer.

05.21.10 at 5:26 am

chris

you missed off 'american' from the title of this page….

05.21.10 at 11:15 am

rager

waaayy off! louis ck–not in the top 50, get a new job you can't judge comedy!

05.21.10 at 11:17 am

Bobby Tony

Dice. I know all the criticisms but I would've thought this site was savvy enough to realize the Dice character is a character and thus a satire on people who REALLY think that way. Love his courage in making his act out of improvving off making fun of people in the audience. And he's just plain funny as fuck.

05.21.10 at 2:33 pm

mike☺☻☺☻sign

Its not stand-up comedy,but tell me that BP is not the biggest effen joke on earth right now!▌o▌i▌L▌

05.21.10 at 4:24 pm

Lauren

The whole time I couldn't figure out who they would pick as number one (especially after seeing it WASN'T George Carlin), but man I'm so glad it's Bill Hicks! Love him!! Though, I know I get a lot of shit for it, I have never been able to get into Eddie Murphy or Richard Pryer. I do wish Eddie Izzard and Dave Chapelle were up there though

05.21.10 at 8:22 pm

james

this list is shit.

05.22.10 at 12:53 am

Captain Yank

Top 10 of your favourite American Stand-ups?

05.22.10 at 2:12 am

Christina

Wrong order, man…

1. Lenny Bruce

2. Bill Hicks

3. Richard Pryor

4. George Carlin

5. Eddie Murphy

…and the rest are just unworthy…

05.22.10 at 7:11 am

Yasmeen

Where is Chris Rock??? WTF

05.22.10 at 7:13 am

Yasmeen

Yes, and Bill Cosby. Take out Dennis Leary and louis CK (not funny at ALLLLLL). Replace with Chris Rock and Bill Cosby

Why are there only old comedians on here? I'm sorry, I have never heard of Bill Hicks, so I watched that clip on here and honestly, that was painful. I didn't even chuckle once, if that's the clip you chose to show he's the "best stand up comedian" then there's only two possibilities that arise form that. Either you chose an awful clip of him that wouldn't make any sober person in this day and age laugh, or this is one of his better clips (which would make him a terrible comedian if the latter is true).

Also, like everyone else, where is dave chapelle, chris rock, dane cook (in his earlier years)? Hell even brian regan is better than a few of the guys on this list.

03.16.11 at 2:51 pm

Esteban

your head was up your ass the whole time huh

05.22.10 at 5:05 pm

jo

bill hicks ? is he a comedian or an evangelist . he was an angry man and sucks .

05.23.10 at 3:13 pm

vb

this list is crap. expect bill hicks.

05.23.10 at 3:13 pm

vb

Type your comment here…

05.24.10 at 7:27 am

Andrew

Even I would like to extend my support to those who are favoring Rickles here. Nice list though. Of the list mentioned, Eddie Murphy would be my favorite pick. :)

05.24.10 at 9:12 am

Hansel

Denis Leary stole his entire act from Bill Hicks….at least all the early good stuff you mentioned. Bill Hicks was a true philosopher!

05.24.10 at 1:00 pm

mj

Mitch Hedburg? I'd say he deserves a spot on the top ten… though i do agree with most of this list, wiuth the exception of Lois CK

05.24.10 at 2:22 pm

ec

I would have liked to see Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Dave Attell, and Doug Stanhope in there somewhere.

05.24.10 at 2:38 pm

ryan

I can't really agree with Leary or CK. I would put Carlin at 1. Sorry, Hicks was great but he was no where near as good as Carlin.

Lenny would have to be in the same boat. Hicks and Lenny Bruce got so caught up in their causes they forgot they were supposed to be telling jokes.

Carlin is the only one that could keep both in their place.

I also miss Eddie Izzard on the list.

05.24.10 at 2:48 pm

Steve

where the f*ck is Kathy griffin? she makes dick jokes worth listening to.

05.24.10 at 6:59 pm

RK

You have to include Chris Rock in there.

05.24.10 at 8:48 pm

Austin

I can't believe no one said Jerry Seinfeld or Jeff Foxworthy. They both moved on to other things but got there standing on the shoulders of their incredible stand up. Also, I know this kid is just coming around, but watch Daniel Tosh's first comedy special. Maybe just my kind of humor, but I've never laughed as hard or as long, and I've watched a lot of stand up.

05.24.10 at 8:49 pm

Tom

Thank you for placing Bill Hicks at number 1…other than that, I'm a little disappointed in the list! Eddie Izzard should be on there…Dave Chappelle…it's all been said already.

05.25.10 at 1:01 am

David

The mention of Denis Leary anywhere near a list of best comics is a joke in itself. The man is nothing but a hack. He built his career on stealing jokes, sometimes word for word, from Hicks.

I'm a comedian myself, and you've no idea how little respect Leary has within the scene.

Also, Billy Connolly, Dara O'Briain, Eddie Izzard and Jason Byrne are in with a shout.

05.25.10 at 5:25 am

J888

Can I just say to the comments that it's not always about your personal taste.. It's more about what EVERYONE finds funny collectively. So crawl out of that dark hole please.

And to you comedians: You're here to entertain the masses – we don't care who your damn influences are.. just make a joke so we can laugh at you, comedian man!

05.25.10 at 4:19 pm

eugene

Like the list. When I lived in Chicago, I hung out with a few comics, Bill Hicks was the man they all wanted to be. Even the well seasoned veteran Jimmy Wiggins (wrote for Carson and Carlin). I see some carping about no non US comics, I have not seen any as good as the 10 on this list. I do agree, Sam Kinison and Dave Chapelle, should be here, in place of Leary and CK. Kinison got the fame Hicks never did. His stuff came straight from the school of Bill Hicks, in your face truth telling. Lucky for Sam, he was some how able to not offend the audience the way Hicks often did. These folks are all the best at what comics do, fearlessly tell the truth.

05.25.10 at 4:24 pm

eugene

Oh yeah, speaking of stealing jokes. Robin Williams was the king of theft. The guys I knew hated it when he was in a club while they were performing. I was told that in his early days, he would go to the clubs, and later on use some of the stuff he heard in his act the next day

05.25.10 at 5:22 pm

Mac

Bill Hicks is not close to the best comedian ever. You probably just think so because you're an extreme democrat.

05.26.10 at 3:26 am

Dallon

There are too many great comedians and too many different preferences about comedians to compile an accurate list of the best of the best.

05.26.10 at 4:02 am

Tim

Horrible list. Looks like someone's personal list of fav comedians. Heck if we are just throwing out names, I'll throw out a few

Mitch Hedburg's owed his act to Steven Wright.

and to add a couple females to the list, Lisa Lampanely(sp) and Sarah Silverman hold their own with the big boys.

05.26.10 at 4:18 am

Tom

Great comedians all of them but this reads like a like of the top 10 American comedians ever, not the top 10 of all time!

05.26.10 at 6:28 am

lol

i see 'em trollin…

they hatin'….

05.26.10 at 9:58 am

Caleb

Pretty poor list, Dennis Leary essentially recycles Bill Hicks' material, Steve Martin isn't funny and all these guys are American so it's not really the Top 10 of all time is it?

05.26.10 at 11:50 am

donn

billy connelly?

05.26.10 at 12:24 pm

Peter

Are you Nuts putting Robin Williams seventh! Steve Martin is a grade A Loser! He couldn't carry Robins luggage and yes Billy Connelly is better then any of these guys your rating system is fucked from the get go!

05.26.10 at 9:19 pm

Lils

Also a serious lack of Eddie Izzard on this list. For shame.

05.26.10 at 9:47 pm

Chase

If you don't like this list, complain about it on the internet. After all, it IS a direct insult to your personal dignity. How dare someone have an opinion.

05.26.10 at 10:11 pm

James

Denis Leary is famous for stealing Bill Hicks act, him being on here makes it a joke. Robin williams was a schizo on coke. Louie CK should be higher, as should Carlin. And to the poster who called Steve Martin a loser, check your head man. Guy is a genius. At least you didn't put that limey moron Eddie Izzard on here, +1 for that.

And, um, I just had to read the list again, because you left off Richard Pryor. -10. fail fucking city.

05.27.10 at 3:20 am

jo

Besides George Carlin, Robin Williams and Richard Pryor, I would vote for Eddie Izzard, Chris Rock and Jeff Dunham…and you can watch most of their full videos at http://www.BestComedyOnline.com

05.27.10 at 12:42 pm

Chris

I was scrolling slowly to #1 just to make sure you paid Hicks his dues … hands down THE BEST comedian EVER!

05.27.10 at 7:44 pm

Allan Janssen

Keep Murphy, Lenny, Carlin, Williams, Pryor and Hicks. Kill the rest, especially Steve Martin.
As for Dangerfield the only claim to fame he has is that he was buddies with Lenny in the fifties
You missed a few of the best…… Jim Jeffries, Doug Stanhope, Bob Newhart and, believe it or not, Erma Bombeck!
I missed a few that will come back to me at three this morning!

05.27.10 at 7:22 pm

funny guy

umm james, look at #2 on the list and rethink who the mayor of fail city is you dumbass.

05.27.10 at 9:03 pm

BryNSanity

Where's Mitch Hedberg? He has to be on that list.

05.27.10 at 9:03 pm

BryNSanity

Type your comment here…

05.27.10 at 9:04 pm

BryNSanity

Where's Mitch Hedberg?

05.28.10 at 12:20 am

alexish

Yes, Bill Hicks should be the top of the list, but Dennis Leary stole his whole act from Mr. Hicks. I agree Hedberg Needs to be here, more than Leary, and actually by his own right, Hedberg deserves to be near the top.

here is my big question: why is Pryor before Carlin? In all honesty, yes, Pryor was Mr. Smashing-boundaries-Of Language, but…. Carlin challenged perceptions Unquestionably more so and had people Laughing.

05.28.10 at 10:16 am

john

why is bill hicks on the list twice…oh wait, thats leary.

no cosby? weak.

this is the worst list i've seen in a long time.

05.28.10 at 7:51 pm

Jay

comedy is subjective but man – this is off the scales…

never heard of Louis C.K.. Steve Martin not even close.

A list of top 10 comedians without Mitch Hedberg is just an exercise in unfathomable ignorance, bad taste and stupidity. Leary & Hicks are'nt funny.

Pryor should be #1

05.29.10 at 9:30 pm

Eric

Why is Dennis Leary on the same list as Bill Hicks? Leary is just reusing Hicks' jokes and shtick and calling it his own. Fuck Dennis Leary. You might as well have put Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia on here.

05.30.10 at 9:01 am

Toby

Uh, Ricky Gervais anyone? Or perhaps Russell Peters?

05.30.10 at 10:14 am

Xenopus

Dude…….. Robin Williams sucks so much ass. Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin also suck so much ass…….. Nice list douchebag

05.30.10 at 11:57 am

Mike

There are no women on this list. What about Phyllis Diller, Rosanne Barr, Minnie Pearl, Sarah Silverman…some of the best comedians of all time. Definitely should've been at least one woman on the top ten of all time.

05.30.10 at 1:02 pm

brit

no american comedian can hold a candle to the dark humour of the british

05.31.10 at 3:12 am

jesika m kern

James…. Mr Pryor IS on the list at #2 …FYI… and though I agree the list could have been a bit more well rounded, George Carlin RIP is the King of all HAHAs in my book…. that man was a genius, and who ever hates on Steve Martin, pull your head outa the sand…. though you may not favor his style of comedy there is no denying the genius of the man, he is brilliant to say the least!

05.31.10 at 2:13 pm

abu

seifeld?

05.31.10 at 9:04 pm

z

Sam Kinison and Chris Rock need to be on this list far ahead of some of the others you listed here…RIP Sam, funniest comic/preacher I ever did witness.

05.31.10 at 11:42 pm

Captain Pugwash

OMG It's like comedy ONLY exists in America, how funny.

06.01.10 at 11:22 am

ryan

wow.. this list lost all credibility when i saw #1

06.01.10 at 11:26 am

Rocks

I'm not a fan of George Carlin. He starts off his shows complaining about other people shoving their opinions down his throat, and then proceeds to spend the rest of the show shoving his views of how people should behave down everyone else's throats. He moans and whines about absolutely everything in the world with rarely a genuinely funny punchline to be heard but the audience, like little sheep, applaud and laugh every time he says the word "fuck" or makes some slightly controversial remark. It isn't funny to listen to or watch, it's just unpleasant.

I did some manual labour work for a month last summer and stuck a lot of comedians on my iPod to keep me entertained. Carlin was one of them. I turned him off after he had spent about 10 minutes telling a story about some guy he met who had the nerve to randomly strike a conversation with Carlin and showed him some pictures of his kids. Carlin spent the 10 minutes bad-mouthing him making remarks along the lines of "I don't have time for this, do you think a fucking care about your shitty kids" etc. etc.

I also had Bill Hicks on my iPod and as the author of this article put it, he "wanted to break free of the strains of financial conditioning and evolve into a a society based on love and compassion," Carlin was the complete opposite in my eyes. He didn't give a shit about love and compassion, he was just a dickhead bitching down a mic like he was God thinking everyone should abide by his rules of life.

06.01.10 at 1:23 pm

kk

Quite a few comments about the US centric nature of this list, but so far only a few suggestions from outside the states. (Connely I get, but Izzard and Gervais?)

but I'd like to offer up Dudley Moore and Peter Cook as the absolute numbers 1.

If you've never heard them, you should.

06.01.10 at 1:39 pm

opus

terrible list! how about mitch hedburg? demitri martin? somebody that is actually capable of making someone with an average or above average iq laugh?

06.01.10 at 6:49 pm

coopah

Uh… What about Brian Regan? Do a search on YouTube and see what I mean…

06.01.10 at 8:05 pm

kevin

If you had any fucking respect for Bill Hicks you would never even THINK of putting goddamn Leary on the list.

Well, at least you didn't put shit like Jeff Dunham or Dane Cook on here.

This is my top ten:

1. Bill Hicks

2. George Carlin

3. Doug Stanhope

4. Lewis Black

5. Patton Oswalt

6. Dave Chappelle

7. Louis CK

8. Bill Bailey

9. Richard Pryor

10. Russell Brand

06.01.10 at 8:06 pm

Jim

I've never heard of Bill Hicks. Number 1 is definitely wrong.

06.02.10 at 3:38 am

But really.

This shit is all subjective anyway. It's impossible to make any "top ten best" anything and appease everyone. Louis CK would make my personal #1.

06.02.10 at 4:11 am

danmccabe

my top 10:

1. Dylan Moran

2. Bill Bailey

3. Billy Connolly

4. Frankie Boyle

5. Ricky Gervais

6. Bill Hicks

7. Demetri Martin

8. Sean Hughes

9. Dara O' Briain

10. Richard Pryor

06.02.10 at 3:56 pm

kory

OPINIONS.

If everyones opinion was the same, it would be a boring world.

Don't rip on other peoples opinions.

That being said. I would fit BILL BURR somewhere in that list.

Not intelligent material like Carlin, but his delivery and voices do the trick in my Opinion. check him out.

06.03.10 at 8:46 am

Cole

We all have our favourites, what we be good would be to see a none hierarchical list of comedians that every one agrees are all good. Can't see it happening with Americans on here.

06.05.10 at 4:19 am

Andy

These may be the top 10 AMERICAN comedians ever, but being English, I know some British comedians who wipe the comedic floor with these guys. Maybe that's just my opinion but hey English peeps have better senses of humour than yanks =)

06.06.10 at 9:53 pm

sam

there are so many more- Billy Crystal, Phyllis Diller, Rosanne Barr, Bill Cosby, Milton Berl, Johnny Carson with his monologues and characters, Joey Bishop, Steven Wright, Don Rickles, Ed Skelton, Danny Kaye, Bob Hope, Cheech and Chong, Mae West, Jimmy Durante, and on and on… this list cannot be held to 10 and truly represent the amount of skill and talent that has existed and influenced so many- try 100 and MAYBE the strong ones will all be included.

06.06.10 at 9:47 pm

isaac

Um, no. Carlin is number 1, 2, AND 3. Also, Eddie Izzard is missing from this list.

06.07.10 at 7:25 am

Doob

Carlin should be nr. 1, and Steve Martin should be replaced with Mitch Hedberg.

06.07.10 at 9:20 pm

James

Great list! I agree 90%! Not 100% :D

06.08.10 at 11:35 am

Emily

10. Eddie Izzard

9. Lenny Bruce

8. Jerry Seinfeld

7. Louis C.K.

6. Jim Carrey

5. Robin Williams

4. Richard Pryor

3. Bill Hicks

2.George Carlin

1. Chris Rock

NO DANE, NO LEARY, NO MARTIN.

I based my list on who made me laugh (or want to laugh) out loud the most!

06.08.10 at 12:55 pm

Leighton

Carlin is God….should have been #1

06.09.10 at 1:21 am

Mark

I like the mobile phone recycling blog, well a bit of great news for the online community, you can now compare who pays the most cash for your mobile phones at [www.comparemobilephonerecycling.co.uk]

06.09.10 at 3:21 am

david brown

all totally subjective. that could just as easily be a list of the worlds worst comics, depending on your taste. the idea of having a list is absurd. those are just the worlds most'' popular'' comics. as can be judged empirically by album sales etc. popular does not mean good. kylie is more popular than most jazz musicians. but better ?? hardly.

06.09.10 at 6:52 am

tom

I'm surprised at how many people in the comments agree with each other. Leary doesn't belong. Patton Oswalt does.

Personally Gaffigan also is one of the few comics that really just gets me doubled over with laughter, and with clean material, which is tough.

Ellen's stuff was great in its time too. Really clean consistent material.

06.09.10 at 9:08 am

mrsleep

Leary on the same list with Bill Hicks?

Bad move, don't you know that Leary stole his acts, and a lot of jokes from Bill Hicks?

06.20.10 at 8:32 pm

eydie

i think “best of” lists of anything are subjective. i don’t find people who tell jokes while on drugs funny, nor do i find racist, sexist or profane “humor” funny. my favorite comics are jim gaffigan and david brenner. again, that’s subjective and my opinion. you listed your favorites. that doesn’t make them the best.

06.25.10 at 4:59 am

pbrain

What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?What no Steven Wright?

06.29.10 at 12:56 am

Jesus

Eddie Izzard isn't here. LAME

07.01.10 at 9:45 am

yehonatan roth

Here are two lists (both not ranked just showing names to inteduce people)

one is the names i got from the comments on this page that i plan to check out later

and the other are the ones that i've checked out and put on my list

again, not rated only numbers so i'd know how many i have.

(by the way, i'm not the original poster of this page)

i think you people forget that the best thing to come out of this list

is the possibelity of knowing new comedians (the ones in the comments)

so here, enjoy

KNOWN:

the following is a list of awosem comedians with no refrence to the numbers

it was just what poppet in my head name wise at the time…

1) lenny bruce

2) bill hicks

3) george carlin

4) bill maher

5) mitch hedberg

6) steven wright

7) rodney dangerfield

8) bob newhart

9) paula poundstone

10) ganean gorafalo

11) norm macdonald

12) demetri martin

13) patton oswalt

14) Rob Paravonian

15) Murray Langston

16) Zach Galifianakis

17) Robin Williams

18) Ed Byrne

19) Jim Norton

20) Jimmy Carr

21) Rich Hall

22) Dylan Moran

23) Tim Minchin

24) Russell Howard

25) Richard Pryor

26) Dave Chappelle

27) Kat Williams

28) Craig Ferguson

29) Mark Steel

30) Freddie Prinze (not the actor with the same name the one with the

moustach)

31) Aaron-Michael Fox

32) Jim Gaffigan

33) Doug Stanhope

34) Richard Jeni

35) Redd Foxx

36) Lord Buckley

37) Danny Kaye

38) Tommy Sledge

39) adam sandler

40) Dennis Miller

41) mike birbiglia

42) Eddie Izzard

43) Dave Attell

44) Chris Rock

45) Louis C.K.

===

and now the ones from your comments:

Rick Overton

Sam Kinison

Billy Connolly

the Blue Collar Guys

Omid Djalili

Bill Cosby

Charles Murphy

Rodney Carrington

Russell Peters

Sarah Silverman

Jo Koy

Michael McIntyre

Tommy Tiernan

Dara O’brian

Rhod Gilbert

Carlos mencia

Jonathan Winters

Robert Klein

Alan King

Jerry Seinfeld

Dermot Morgan

Lewis Black

Jack Benny

jim carry

Woody Allen

bob hope

Red Skelton… is he the same as Ed Skelton?

emo phillips

Frankie Boyle

Wanda Sykes

dan aykroyd

Steve Coogan

Jack Dee

Ken Goodwin

Chic Murray

Groucho Marx

Milton Berle

Ernie Kovacs

Totie Fields

Jackie Mason

Janeane Garofalo

margaret cho

Phyllis Diller

Jerry Clower

Tom and Dick Smothers

Tim Conway

Minnie Pearl

Ted Chippington

Stewart Lee

jon stewart

Brian Regan

Gilda Radner

Elvira Kurt

Susie Essman

Tig Notaro

Amy Sedaris

Katt Williams

Jim Carrey

dean martin

Johnny Carson

Richard Ayoade

bill bailey

Don Rickles

Eddie Griffin

Martin Lawrence

Russell Brand

Lee Evans

Robert Schimmel

George Burns

Andrew Dice Clay

Kathy griffin

Jeff Foxworthy

Jason Byrne

Jimmy Wiggins

Lisa Lampanely

Jeff Dunham

Jim Jeffries

Erma Bombeck

david cross

Roseanne Barr

Peter Cook

Spike Milligan

Jo Brand

Jasper Carrott

Ben Elton

Phill Jupitus

Andy Zaltzman

Sue Perkins

Dudley Moore

Sean Hughes

Bill Burr

Billy Crystal

Joey Bishop

Cheech and Chong

Jimmy Durante

Mae West

04.14.11 at 11:01 pm

will

Hey! Jimmy Wiggins! I used to hang out with him years ago! Thought I may be the only person who knew him.

07.05.10 at 4:27 pm

Kevin Schmitt

Laugh till ya cry funny is what its about.For me thats Carlin- Hedberg- Gaffigan-Greg Hahn-Kinison-Cosby-Pryor-Dangerfield-Godfried-Regan. I will add that one of the Funniest routines I ve ever seen was Victor Borge and Phonetics.

07.12.10 at 7:00 pm

anon

FAIL.

07.23.10 at 3:29 pm

bilbo

I was applaud not to see Bill Hicks until I got to the bottom. Then I was disappointed to see he was last and not closer to the top, until I saw it was a countdown. Point is, I kept thinking too soon.

Were you not aware that Dennis "lowlife" Leary stole Bill Hicks material? This isn't some wacked out conspiracy theory, in fact, it's well documented. He was a theiving Dane Cook before there was a theiving Dane Cook. How the hell, with so many great, varied life-long grinders out there (Richard Jeni, Bill Cosby, Patton Oswalt, etc) does this "asshole" make your list? Epic, epic fucking fail.

08.11.10 at 12:16 am

Don Quixote

Replace Leary with Cosby, and then you would have a perfect list.

08.15.10 at 4:14 am

Ann

Oh No Louis CK is the G.O.A.T of stand up comedy I watched all of them nobody ever can do Louyis Ck ever ever but this is a great list. The best of all times and by the way people saying shit stand up comedy only has better audience in UK and especially US other countries are do not practice it very well and they suck. I say this because I am European I speak 5 langauges.

08.15.10 at 4:37 am

Ann

Why Louys Ck is the greatest?
Oh well somepeople said Chris Rock should be on the list, which I wouldn't dissagree but Louis Ck is the writter for Chris Rock show and many of his movies. So he writes what Chris Rock says. Not to mention David Leterman show. Connan O'brian and besides Dane Cook? That guy has 1 or 2 stand up comedies why doe she deserve the list? And Dane Cook stole many of Louis CK jokes and by the way for you people that know nothing Louis Ck is doing stand up comedy sience 1987, go to youtube youll be amased 20 some years and the beauty of it is that he takes everyday's life and puts it on comedy like everything, the most nastiest thing you could possible think of. He can say nigger, faggot and you name it. That guy has done thousands of stand up comedy every saturday at the city theatre. He has done so much sometimes he doesnt even write them he does freestyle because he is a comic genius he can come up with anything so quick.

08.15.10 at 4:37 am

Ann

You guys have no idea you are little kids that watch Dave Chapelle and Kate Williams????????? Comon they done 2 3 stand up comedy with nigga this nigga that, white folks do this black folks do that, thats all they talk or nigga nigga nigga bitch bitch bitch c'mon mannnnnnn Dave has done alltogather only 2 stand up comedies and he deserves the list? Are u Fin kidding me? or Kate williams which by the way is not even close to Dave Chappelle not to mention Louis GOAT Ck. Some of these people deserve the list because before you were even born and when not too many knew what stand up comedy was they sort of created it they are the founding fathers and you little shits know nothing. If it wasn't for them there won't be any stand up comedy at this level. Louis Ck is the moder father. By the ay I am British and theres no way we have better stand up comedy than US

08.26.10 at 4:06 am

Foxy

American stand-up comedy is really fucking shit for the most part. Bill Hicks is the only one who would make it onto a real "top 10 list of all time" that recognised this fact.

08.30.10 at 5:15 pm

Black Leaf

No Ricky Gervais?

09.01.10 at 4:39 pm

Bmurder

No Hedberg or Chappelle or Kinison? Damn list blows

09.02.10 at 12:12 pm

Connor_Macleod

Hmm afraid to say a very American view, there are so many comedians so much better thats including American. bottom of the class take your test again please

09.09.10 at 10:39 pm

Guest

I watched the bill hicks one & didn't laugh once.

09.23.10 at 3:32 am

cory campbell

woody allen anyone? only ones on this that i agree with a top ten ranking are george carlin bill hicks and rodney dangerfield. dennis leary isnt in the top 100. this list needs a huge remaking.

09.27.10 at 11:16 pm

Kate

What about Mitch Hedberg?!

10.01.10 at 3:15 pm

Guest

Wow, good list even though I dont agree with some of the names e.g. Dennis Leary – but any list that has the legend Bill Hicks as Number 1 and Richard Pryor as Number 2 is worth a peep……

10.06.10 at 10:07 am

Mabass

While inspiring, Bill Hicks never struck as all that funny. Carlin would've won my #1 spot because he said some serious stuff while making the audience laugh. After all, this a countdown of standup.

10.08.10 at 5:42 am

Casey

The worst thing about a top 10 list are the comments saying, "you forgot ___"! when they've only ever heard of 20 or 50 comedians in their lifetime. It would be nice if before people voiced their opinions on their own list of top comedians, they first heard the material that is out there from the stand-up greats. Then voice your opinion.

Everyone's sense of humor is different so there can never be an unchallenged "Top 10" list of comedians. But we can agree there are good comedians. Leary, for me, is filth that I can't stand. He's never made me laugh because there's a difference between pure anger/yelling and telling jokes. He wouldn't make my top 100 list. And Bill Hicks wouldn't be in my top 10.

Still not done. You want angry, as mention bt some one else but needs repeating, Sam Kinison and Bobcat Goldwaith. Lets not forget Mort Sahl.

11.08.10 at 12:25 am

Bryan

What about Bill Cosby? really….

11.08.10 at 4:58 pm

Name

10 best AMERICAN stand-ups. There are plently of other stand-ups around the wolrd who can compete with these guys…

11.08.10 at 9:18 pm

Drakman

1. the list is close (to what is the truth) but the order is certainly wrong – do not be upset by all of these imbeciles ranting about Mitch Hedberg or "where's Martin Lawrence?" remember that most people are stupid…very, very stupid…

2. "there are plenty of non-American comedians who can keep up with these guys" No, there aren't.
The best you've got is Gervais and Izzard and they work for us now…moving along…

3. Hicks wasn't actually very funny at all – he was very, very clever with no shortage of humorous insights – but he was not a very funny man. Bill Cosby was a naturally funny man.

George Carlin was the best we've likely ever had.

C.K. is now the funniest – which is a sad state of affairs (because no one is even close to him).

Thanks for supporting the Dane Cooks of the world you idiotic collegiate faggots.

11.09.10 at 10:57 am

Christy Welsh

What about Sam Kinnison??? Sam is a lot of where Bill Hicks got his inspiration!

11.10.10 at 6:05 am

Dave

Erm Id call this the 10 best AMERICAN comedians as you are missing much better ones!

11.13.10 at 3:25 pm

Michael C

George Carlin is number one. Period. Pryor is up there. Robin Williams was hilarious in his early days. Steven Wright, with his dry wit, is underrated and belongs here. Jeff Foxworthy & Ron White are both funnier than many of these guys.

11.13.10 at 9:01 pm

Shawn

Awwww, Hell no!!!!! This list has more problems then the New S.A.T's?!?!?!? Pryor and Carlin are comedian GODS, never to be listed less than 1 and 2 respectively.

11.14.10 at 1:58 am

Anthony

Hicks was everything that is good and right with humanity. He is my all time hero.

11.17.10 at 4:09 pm

Allan Parr III

Pryor #1

11.19.10 at 10:45 am

Eric

Unbelievably vapid comments on the comedians too. I agree, it needs Kinison, Hope, and definitely Rock

11.19.10 at 1:25 pm

Jeremy

No Eddie Izzard? What a joke.

11.25.10 at 1:19 am

Melkie

Lenny Bruce should be #1 always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hedberg, Rock, etc could replace thief Leary. Or with good underground comedy Lolli, Stanhope…Maron is funny too. Good list though.

11.27.10 at 3:23 am

Jules Manson

Why isn't Doug Stanhope and Jim Breuer on this top ten list? I can name at least two comedians that are over-rated on this list: Denis Leary and Louis C.K.

12.11.10 at 5:28 pm

Bram

Please change the title of this list to 'Best American Stand Up Comedians Of All Time'. Why else aren't Eddie Izzard and/or Billy Connelly mentioned?

12.18.10 at 3:41 pm

cons

Bill Hicks is number 1., the rest of them aren't even close.

12.20.10 at 5:54 pm

Kelsey F

this is kinda ridiculous, Billy Connolly is the greatest comedian of all time and why is Eddie Murphy even in this list!?

12.22.10 at 8:57 am

comedian decider

Every single one American….me thinks a little bit of bias here. Billy Connolly anyone?

12.30.10 at 5:36 pm

russ

british comedians and comedy in general shits all over american stuff: im thinking mcintyre,rhod gilbert,rob brydon,jack dee, lee mack youtube them

01.06.11 at 4:54 pm

lewis

i like ron white. there i said it lol. hes not on the list but i think hes an amazin comedian :L

01.07.11 at 8:47 am

ireadthedpp

mitch hedberg should be on the list. leary should be off. alot of these choices depends on how much you listen to comedy, what you like, and when you started listening. rickles? louis c.k.? i can see famous comedians, but best is way too subjective.

01.08.11 at 5:26 pm

lina

Steve Martin..!? I can't even take this post serious now… a

01.13.11 at 5:34 am

john

wow, you must be a huge bill hicks fan.. and even a bigger dennis leary fac… leary just yells a lot and gets forced laughter…hicks is good, but no way in hell number 1

01.13.11 at 10:08 am

Vegard

What about Jerry Seinfeld. My all time favorite standup comedian.

01.15.11 at 11:51 am

Rsole

What a shit list, with a few excemptions, and no Doug Stanhope? wtf?

01.19.11 at 9:37 pm

Johnny

this list sucks.

top 3 have to be Dangerfield, Carlin, Pryor….any order would have been acceptable. C'mon man.

01.20.11 at 8:44 am

IAmI

Terrible list… Leary? No. Never. Not once.

I love Hicks, but you can't put him above Carlin and Pryor.

Louis CK… good? You bet. Top 10? Can't agree.

I will jump on the bandwagon… where the fuck is Mitch?

Don't be so stupid next time you make a list.

01.24.11 at 3:35 pm

almac

Billy Connoly in his heyday was the equal of anyone on this list.

02.01.11 at 5:45 pm

Who Dis?

Do to Dennis Leary's latest stand up…can we take him off the list? Maybe add Doug Stanhope instead. He is 10 times the comedian then Dennis. Dennis was good, but he is now nothing more then an actor playing the part of a comedian on stage.

02.03.11 at 9:37 pm

Alicia

Eddie Izzard!!!!

02.03.11 at 9:43 pm

Cassy

So America's all that matters now? What about comedians from other countries? And female comedians who managed to break into a male-dominated industry? This is a hack list.

02.03.11 at 9:47 pm

jpsming

I agree Billy Connolly should have been in this list. And I really think Bill Hicks is overrated. He was intolerant while ranting about intolerance, narrow minded while raving about narrow-mindedness, and an all round aggressive man. Comedy? No way.

02.04.11 at 5:32 pm

rosie ass

In all fairness Bill Hicks wasnt just a comic he was a genuis.. But as for everyone else who cares!

02.06.11 at 2:30 am

daryl

You forgot Mitch Hedberg!!!

02.10.11 at 4:34 pm

The Bryguy

You put Louis C.K., and left Bill Cosby off?! Nonsense!

02.10.11 at 11:58 pm

neil

where the hell is Mitch Hedberg??

02.13.11 at 9:11 pm

Steve

Five out of ten, maybe.

02.19.11 at 2:41 pm

corey

finally someone got it right!!!

03.02.11 at 3:26 pm

guest

kinison wipes his ass in heaven with resuce me scripts….love live sam!

03.02.11 at 3:27 pm

guest

sorry….RESCUE ME…you guys know who i'm talking about

03.10.11 at 7:20 am

Reid

Two Names: Dave Chapelle, Dylan Moran.

03.11.11 at 5:48 pm

Anoon

So…no Mitch Hedberg. No Kinison. No Cosby. No Stephen Wright. No Chris Rock. And Hicks is #1.

Ooookay. I guess that's why we're all allowed to have opinions.

03.21.11 at 1:39 pm

keith

Who the hell is Bill Hicks? and of all time? I know they are old but have you ever heard of Bob Hope? George Burns? W.C. Fields? Dennis Leary is funny, but not in the top 25 even. This list must have been written by a 12 year old.

04.14.11 at 11:14 pm

will

How do you not know who Bill Hicks is?

03.22.11 at 12:55 am

Kyle

Mitch Hedberg?

03.22.11 at 4:09 am

zack

how the hell is dave chappelle not on this list, not to mention number one

03.27.11 at 11:57 pm

TEQ

EDDIE IZZARD!!!!

04.02.11 at 11:26 pm

ReallyLeary?

I know this is already an old article, but seriously Denis Leary? He isn't even the funniest person in his own house. See what I did there? I pulled a Denis Leary on an earlier commenter. It doesn't even matter if some of the other comedians definitely deserve to be on the list because you lost all credibility with Leary even coming anywhere close to it.

04.05.11 at 3:24 pm

rizzo345

decent list. but you need to get george carllins stupid (not funny) ass off this list and add mitch hedberg. he had a way better act than most of this list.

04.05.11 at 8:32 pm

Jason

Thanks for Bill Hicks as #1. Finally. Can't wait to see his movie out this week. But Chris Rock needs to be in there, at least to replace Leary, who is great, but he stole a lot of Hicks' act (he definitely did – but he redeemed himself with the first 3 seasons of Rescue Me). And I'd substitute Cosby for Williams. Williams bought a lot of his jokes; Cosby wrote all of his stuff as far as I know. Kinison needs to be in there too. Kinison and Hicks had many parallel theories. I love Louis CK, but there's no way in hell he's better than Kinison. I tend to think the greatest comics were the ones who were not only funny, but were philosophical and had the ability to change the way you look at life through their comedy. I have to say I think Patton Oswalt is great too.

04.05.11 at 9:58 pm

@NakedxBabe

There's no british comedians? wth charlie chaplin has inspired so many british comedians and he is one of the best actors ever.

and no pauly shore or andy dick wth? especially where the hell is my god damn chevy chase?! he is so funny and great he should be on there because his whole inspiration to 80s kids really did it even my father loves him.

04.07.11 at 1:43 pm

@pstoneharris

Denis Leary has his moments but ..he is really a comic actor more than a stand up plus that stealing material thing. To me Bill Hicks is way overrated but better that than forgotten. also no women ? No Lily Tomlin , no Maria Bamford , no Sarah Silverman , no Joan Rivers…

04.08.11 at 10:38 am

tpaul

Bill Hicks wasn't a comedian. He was a very troubled activist.

04.11.11 at 5:40 pm

poopman

Bill Hicks blows!!! why do people like him? because they are nerdy fucking fat losers! HOW COULD YOU PUT HIM #1!?!?!?!? ahead of Pryor,Carlin, and Dangerfield??? INSANE!!

07.31.11 at 12:53 am

shannon

Carlin is horribly overrated, and Rodney Dangerfield doesn't deserve to be on anyones list…
and fuck you, if you're too fucking stupid to appreciate Bill Hicks' material then don't go bragging about it like it's something to be proud of.

04.14.11 at 11:09 pm

will

Ditch Leary/CK. Plug in Jimmy Wiggins, Don Rickles, Buddy Hacket Bill Cosby. This is an all time list, CK and Leary don't have the depth. How about some brits, Dave Allen, Morecambe and Wise, Benny Hill?

Saw some bitching about Bill Hicks, every comic I ever knew wanted to be Bill Hicks.

04.15.11 at 12:57 pm

Dbolch

Lewis Black?

04.17.11 at 8:41 pm

wally

Someone very young and with a brief scrape of knowledge has written something and had his big brother put it on the internet for him. This is a promising start in ten years he will change his list as he learns more.

04.18.11 at 7:23 am

rustysubmarine

Hmm so you've got all the comedians that make the same old jokes about either being black, the problems with government, the upsides to drugs and the downsides to religion (whilst yes they're funny, they're nothing new), where are all the really intelligent comedians? Ones that get a laugh for saying something truly clever rather than just being outrageous, people like Billy Connolly and Eddie Izzard. This is a list of the 10 best american comedians maybe, but half of them are shit if you like intelligent humour.

04.19.11 at 11:34 pm

Toronto

As far as a top ten list is concerned, everyone has a different sense of humor, thus we would never be able to come up with a complete consensus. That being said, Dennis Leary is a fucking cunt.

As many say, none of these are non-american. I've watched both US and UK comedians and although the type of humor is far different its definitely comparable. I may not get US humor as much as UK, but I challenge you to find any american who doesnt find Lee Evans amazing.

A top 10 list with no Kinison has no credibility. There are people on this list (Denis Leary) who have said they have nothing on the guy.

05.10.11 at 4:14 am

dave

2 words.

1. Chris 2. Rock

05.10.11 at 7:02 pm

porno

e or dead. I can only hope that more people get the chance to hear or see him perform, and then pass him on to others. There are DVD's available online, and the tribute video is both hysterically funny and poinantly sad at the same time. Thank you again for giving Bill the recognition that he geniunely deserves. As he said, "I'm on the road 300 days a year, so bear with me while I plaster on a fake smile and plow through this shit one more time." Bill, you

05.15.11 at 11:28 am

pseudochris

Yeah.. Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are pretty great. This is biased by race. But really, I was just hoping you'd had George Carlin and Bill Hicks at the top. That alone says this list is about right.

05.15.11 at 10:44 pm

AIDs

Hicks was a horrible comedian. This list sucks.

05.21.11 at 4:16 pm

kdance

dylan moran and stewart lee should definitely be in there

05.29.11 at 9:01 pm

Annon

Wow they should rename comments "collection of elitist bitchings"

05.29.11 at 10:18 pm

Dotson mac

Andrew Fucking Dice. come on man

06.02.11 at 1:15 am

Logan Wild

Jim Gaffigan

06.03.11 at 12:50 am

seriously

I see we're still b*tching about Shawn Norris' 10 favorite comedians. As long as we are, may I just ask if, apart from being really clever and controversial, Lenny Bruce has ever said anything that was funny? On purpose?

Carlin-Pryor-Hicks (not necessarily in that order): yes, thank you.

06.03.11 at 10:00 pm

themanfromamsterdam

Sorry but Greg Giraldo is not even in the top 10?! :O
And nobody even mentions him here?! :O
Fuck this :|

06.09.11 at 12:31 pm

anonymous

bill hicks? seriously?

06.20.11 at 2:19 am

nelson brown

Yes! bill Hicks #1, Pryor #2. exactly how i feel.

06.22.11 at 4:53 am

Internet Marketing

Wow. A top 10 comedians list including Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. And yet Bill Hicks comes out on top. Nice.

06.23.11 at 10:32 am

Colm B

Yes all the best comedians are Americian, no European, Billy Connelly???

06.24.11 at 11:50 am

Olga Stetson

Quick scan of comments reveals sarah silverman as only female contender? Men! All consumed with egotism and potty mouth putz jokes. I can't bear to read on. Roseanne Barr is our kind of stand-up, maybe because we laugh at men.

06.27.11 at 11:11 pm

kellen mann

I like all these comedians but the writer's syntax–and I realize this is a snotty thing to say–gave me a fucking headache. "He rants on why everything about why being white is great" Jesus Christ, I need to vomit now.

06.27.11 at 11:24 pm

Sliggo

Two things. First, Fuck Robin Williams. Second, where the Hell is Mitch Hedberg?

06.30.11 at 12:44 pm

mrsleep

Putting Dennis Leary on this list is just wack.
All he did is steal his bit, almost ENTIRELY from Bill Hicks.
And what about Sam Kineson? I think he should be on this way before Leary EVER should.

07.02.11 at 5:04 pm

mdoggdx316

Bill Hicks is lame. Nothing funny about his act.

07.04.11 at 12:23 pm

cialis

A top 10 list with no Kinison has no credibility. There are people on this list (Denis Leary) who have said they have nothing on the guy.

07.07.11 at 3:01 pm

Jerrt

What happened to Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Red Skeleton, Red Foxx? Now those guys were funny.

07.07.11 at 4:22 pm

Dan Green

And how do you make up a list like this? You can't. People's tastes are different. You see, the only one on this list that I've seen was George Carlin. And I wish I had my money back. But the one that really put on a good show? RITA RUDNER.

07.07.11 at 4:57 pm

James

There is no way to make a top ten list. Some of the comedians listed fit the list and had rivials equally as good. And shame on you for the ones not mentioned on the top ten as possibles.

Maybe specify time frame or type of comedian or something to get real top ten of the 70's, 80's, 90's or someting.

But I do like all the picks from the list but the toppers are:

Richard Pryor, Eddy Murphy, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Red Foxx, Don Rickles, Dave Chappelle all get the respect due because you know some of these comedian's works by heart. and I haven't even grazed the surface.

All other guys/gals must make there bones besides the best. As far as oversea comedians ours are know best…thats a fact.

07.17.11 at 11:03 pm

thebtran

russel peters

07.23.11 at 5:41 am

MedullaPancreas

Good list but one bone to pick: The Bill Hicks rip off, Dennis Leary, got Sam Kinison's spot? Greg Giraldo should be on this list before Denis Leary. Denis can thank Hicks for even making it on this list.

07.26.11 at 2:50 pm

Appie

No Dave Chappele? :-(

07.27.11 at 12:30 pm

Raphael

Were is Ricky Gervais ?
He is really great (and alive!)

07.31.11 at 1:01 am

shannon

I love the fact that Bill Hicks was number one, I feel like he had more to say and projected it better than both Carlin and Richard Pryor, but Lenny Bruce should have been higher, he was crossing boundaries before it was cool to.
and in tune to the chorus of many others on here; that unfunny hack Denis Leary needs to be off this list, ASAP.

08.02.11 at 3:27 pm

jnwicnw

Denis Leary sucks shit..

08.20.11 at 4:43 pm

Max Hunt

W H E R E T H E F U C K I S G I L B E R T G O T T F R I E D ? ?

08.21.11 at 7:47 pm

JOG

Really? Bill Cosby… Red Skelton… Red Fox… Don Rickles… Jeez, I could think of any number of people to tope Leary, CK and Hicks….

08.24.11 at 5:55 pm

Jim

Oh, I get it – this is the funniest list according to you… pity it's not a global list (i.e. the World, not just the USA) because I'm sure it would have been more accurate. But I guess it's difficult to remember that there are nationalities other than North American isn't it?

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Fuck bill hikcs…George Carlin is a God

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Ashley

I can't believe that Robin Williams is in there, I guess I just 'don't get' his humor. But totally agree with most of the list, people like john suggesting that comedians like CHRIS ROCK should be in there are missing the point of the post, the is a top 10 of ALL TIME! I don't agree with some of the people in the list but that's because they weren't relevant in my time. (for the record, chris rock is awesome!)

I must say though kudos on the shout out for Eddie Murphy's Delirious, that was a classic! So old and still will make me crack up! haha

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09.12.11 at 8:16 pm

carsales

Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It’s very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.

09.13.11 at 7:25 am

Jae Vicario

I’m curious to find out what blog platform you have been working with? I’m having some minor security issues with my latest site and I would like to find something more safeguarded. Do you have any recommendations?